RT Journal
A1 Stephenson J
T1 TArgeting ticks
JF JAMA
JO JAMA
YR 2009
FD February 18
VO 301
IS 7
SP 712
OP 712
DO 10.1001/jama.2009.168
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2009.168
AB
Ticks are exposed during blood feeding to large amounts of free iron, but the mechanism by which ticks manage the excess iron (and avoid its potentially toxic effects) is poorly understood. The researchers explored how ticks use, store, and transport iron within the tick using ferritins (FER1 and FER2) and iron regulatory protein 1 (IRP1). They also demonstrated that silencing the genes that encode these 3 proteins decreased hatching rate and the weight of female ticks after a blood meal. They also found that silencing the gene for FER2 dramatically impaired ticks' ability to feed.